Typewriting machine



July 8; E. WISE 2,248,571

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed'Dec. 3d, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR I ELMER L. WISE TTORNEY I E. L. WISE TYPEWRITING MACHINE July 8, 1941.

Filed Dec'.- :50, 1937 :s Sheets-Sheet 2' INVENTOR ELMER L. W/SE ATTORNEY E. L. 'WISE TYPEWR'ITING MACHINE July 8, 1941.

Filed Dec. 30, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR E LMER L. W/JE ATTORNEY Patented July 8, 1941 TYPEWRITING MAUI- ENE Elmer L. Wise, Bridgeport, Conn, assignor to Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 30, 1937, Serial No. 182,419

4 Claims.

This invention relates to typewriting machines and more particularly to the application to such machines of carbon sheet carriers by which carbon sheets are interleaved with a number of superposed continuous work sheets or webs in fanfold, multistrip or other form.

One object of the invention is to produce a novel and improved construction by which carbon sheet carriers for interleaving carbon sheets with the superposed sheets of a continuous work web may be quickly and easily applied to existing typewriting machines having platens of different widths. In different classes of work, different widths of work webs are used and these require carbon sheets of correspondingly different widths. In order to hold the carbon sheets of different widths and locate them in proper relation to the plies of the work web and to the platen, carbon carriers of different Widths are employed.

Another object of the invention is to produce a novel and improved means for supporting carbon sheet carriers of the above character upon typewriting machines constructed and arranged to position carriers of different widths in proper relation to the platen and typewriting mechanism and to hold the same in such relation during the operation of the machine.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in a construction embodying the novel and improved features hereinafter de- 3 scribed and particularly pointed out in the claims, the advantages of which will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The various features of the invention will be clearly understood from-the accompanying drawings illustrating a construction embodying the invention in its preferred form and the following detailed description of the construction therein shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section illustrating the platen and platen frame of a typewriting machine of the Elliott-Fisher type with the invention applied thereto and showing a carbon roll carriage applied to the platen frame with the carriage in its forward position with relation to said frame;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating the carbon roll carriage in its rearward position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section illustrating the manner in which the carbon roll carriage supporting bracket is applied to the platen frame;

Figure 4 is a view in vertical section taken through the rear portion of the platen frame and the forward portion of the supporting bracket and showing the supporting bracket applied to a platen frame considerably wider than the bracket;

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation illustrating a portion of the mechanism shown in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a view in rear elevation illustrating portions of the carbon carriage supporting bracket and a relatively wide carriage supported on said bracket;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 taken at the opposite side of a median vertical plane of the supporting bracket and carriage and showing a relatively narrow carriage supported on the bracket;

Figure 8 is a perspective view illustrating the supporting bracket detached from the platen frame; and

Figures 9 and 10, respectively, are views in side and front elevation illustrating certain parts of the combined clamping device and knife detached from the platen frame.

The invention is illustrated in this application as applied to a typewriting machine of the Elliott-Fisher type such as that illustrated and described in the patent to Foothorap, No. 1,904,127, dated April 18, 1933. The type bar and key mechanism, the letter space mechanism, the line space mechanism and other operating mechanisms of the machine may have the construction disclosed in said patent.

The platen frame of the typewriter is indicated as a whole at 2. This frame comprises parallel spaced side bars l,'a cross bar 6 connecting the side bars at the forward end of the frame, a cross bar 8 connecting the side bars between the ends thereof and a cross bar [0 connecting the side bars at the rear ends of said bars. A flat platen I2 is mounted for vertical movement between the side bars of the platen frame, and between the cross bars 9 and 8 in the manner,

disclosed in the patent to Foothorap, No. 1,596,420,

locate the carriage with relation to the bracket. The base plate I4 is arranged to extend transversely of the longitudinal axis of the platen when the carriage is applied to the platen.

Mounted on the base plate 14 in transverse relation to said plate are two spaced retaining brackets 2B. These brackets are channel shaped in cross section, each having a body portion 2!, an inner side flange 22 and an outer side flange 24. These flanges are formed with outwardly turned margins which rest upon the base plate l4, and the brackets are secured to said plate by screws 25. The retaining brackets are each provided at their ends with upwardly turned supporting plates 28 having bearing recesses to receive the spindles 38 of the carbon rolls 3|. These plates are also perforated to form bearings for the rock shafts 32 of the diagonal carbon guides 34.

The carbon rolls are locked by means of looking dogs 35 of spring plate formation secured to the plates 28 and arranged to engage teeth on the flanges 36 on the carbon rolls. These dogs are respectively actuated to engage said teeth and lock the rolls by means of pivoted locking levers 3'! adapted to be manually operated.

The carbon carriage is provided with a transverse guide rod 38 mounted in uprights 39 formed on extensions on the retainer brackets over which guide rod the work sheets are guided. Mounted on this rod and adjustable laterally thereon are guides 40 for engaging the side edges of the work sheets.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the bracket for supporting the carbon roll carriage, indicated as a whole at 42, comprises spaced side plates 44 arranged in substantially parallel relation and connected by cross rods 46. This bracket is applied to the rear end portion of the platen frame. The side plates 44, at the forward end of the bracket (the right hand end, Figure 8), are arranged to enter between the side bars 4 of the platen frame at the rear of said frame and when the bracket is applied to a relatively narrow platen frame, these plates flt closely to the inner faces of the side bars 4. The drawings show the platen frame as provided with a rear cross bar It) substantially rectangular in cross section. Each of the side plates 44 of the supporting bracket is provided with a hook 48 having a recess within the same constructed to receive the upper part of the rectangular cross bar It. Each of the side plates is also provided at its forward end with an out turned flange or lip 50 arranged to engage beneath the corresponding side bar 4 of the platen frame in the manner shown in Figure *5. The hooks 48 are preferably located longitudinally of the bracket so that the center of gravity of the bracket lies considerably to the rear of said hooks.

With this construction the bracket may be quickly and easily applied to the platen frame in operating position. In applying the bracket to said frame, the bracket is positioned with the side plates 44 engaged between the side bars 4 of the platen frame and with the hooks 48 engaging over the cross bar i El of said frame, the bracket being held at an angle as shown in Figure 3. The rear end of the bracket is then depressed, thereby bringing the forward ends of the side plates up between the side bars of the platen frame until the flanges engage the under sides of said side bars. The bracket will then be held securely and firmly in position on the platen frame by the force of gravity on the rear portion of said bracket.

In the manufacture of the side plates of the bracket, it is found to be impractical to form the hooks and the recesses therein so that the hook portions of the bracket fit accurately over the upper portion of the rear cross bar. In order to give a firm bearing for the bracket against the cross bar IE! and prevent any movement of the side plates of the bracket longitudinally of the side bars of the platen frame, the abutment plates 52 are provided, one for attachment to each side plate. These abutment plates are attached to the inner faces respectively, of the side plates 44 by means of screws 54 engaging in diagonal slots 56 in the plates. Each of these plates is provided with a projection 58 for engaging the rear face of the cross bar IE3. By the adjustment of each of these plates with relation to the corresponding side plate 44 along the diagonal slots 5'6, the projections 58 may be adjusted longitudinally of the bracket to compensate for any variation in the formation of the hooked portions of the bracket.

Figure 4 particularly shows the bracket for supporting the carbon roll carriage applied to a relatively wide platen or one which is considerably wider than the bracket. In this case the bracket is applied to the platen with the right hand side plate of the bracket, looking from the rear of the platen, fitting closely to the adjacent side bar 4. The hooks 43 on each of the side plates 44 will be engaged over the rear cross bar H) of the platen frame as before. In order to hold the bracket securely in this position a retaining plate 60 is secured to the forward end of the right hand side plate 44 and is arranged to engage the outer face of the corresponding side bar. This retaining plate holds the side plate 44 of the bracket, to which plate it is attached, firmly to the corresponding side bar of the platen frame and thereby prevents lateral movement of the bracket with relation to the platen frame.

The carbon roll carriage is supported on the bracket so that said carriage may have a limited movement forwardly and rearwardly under certain conditions but is held by the retaining devices so that it can have substantially no angular movement. The carriage supporting devices are also constructed and arranged so that one carriage may be removed from the machine and another carriage applied thereto without loss of time.

The construction for positioning the carriage upon the bracket comprises the plate-like projections 52 extending inwardly from the respective side plates 44 and each having a slot 64 extending longitudinally of the bracket to receive the pins IE on the carriage. For supporting and guiding a relatively narrow carriage V on the bracket, each of the side plates 44 is provided with an upwardly extending projection 65 arranged to engage the body portion of one of the retaining brackets 20 just inside the outer side flange 24 as shown in Figure 7. The side plates 4-4 are each further provided with! a projection 68 adjacent the rear end thereof extending inwardly from the side plate and having an upwardly projecting flange Ill arranged to engage the body portion of one of the retaining brackets 20 just outside the inner side flange 22 as shown in said figure. The carbon roll carriage is applied to the bracket merely by placing the same upon said bracket with the pins l8 engaging in the slots 64 and with the projections 65 and flanges i6 respectively engaging inside and outside the flanges 24 and 22 on the retaining brackets. The retaining brackets will then rest upon the upper ends of the projections 56 and the flanges l0.

In order to support a relatively wide carbon roll carriage upon the bracket in which the retaining brackets 20 are spaced a greater distance apart than those upon the relatively narrow carriage just described, the projections 66 are; in this case arranged to engage the body portions of the respective retaining brackets 26 on said carriage outside the inner side flanges 22 and each projection is provided with a pin or stud F2 for engaging the outer face of the corresponding side flange to guide the carriage. The side plates at of the brackets are each also provided at the rear end thereof with a projection 14 arranged also to engage the body portion of one of the retaining brackets just outside of the inner side flange 22. In this case the retaining brackets 20 rest upon the upper ends of the projections 56 and 14 to support the carbon roll carriage.

With the above construction, the retaining brackets on the carbon roll carriage will rest upon the upper ends of the projections on the supporting bracket to support the carriage and the carriage will be guided during its forward and rear ward movements by the engagement ofthe pins H3 in the slots 66 and by the engagement of the projections or the projections and studs 12 with the flanges 24 and 22. Thus the carriage is mounted for limited forward and rearward movement upon the supporting bracket 42 longitudinally of the platen frame and platen and its forward and rearward movements are limited by the engagement of the pins i8 with the ends of the slots 64. The carriage guiding devices hold the same effectively from angular movement in a plane parallel with the plane of the platen.

In order to hold the carriage in its rearward position under certain conditions, stop fingers T8 are pivoted at 88, respectively, on projections on the side plates of the supporting bracket, and when in their lowered positions, as shown in Figure 5, are arranged to engage the adjacent faces of the plates 28 on the retaining brackets tohold the carriage from forward movement. To enable the carriage to move forwardly to its limiting position, the stop fingers 18 are swung upwardly into the positions shown in Figure 8. The movement of the fingers in each direction is limited by pins 82, one secured in each flnger and arranged to engage the edges of the projection on which the finger is pivoted.

The machine is provided with a combined clamping device and knife detachably mounted on the forward cross bar 6 of the platen frame. The device comprises a clamping plate 85, the forward margin of which is formed with a knife edge 85. To the ends of the plate 84 are secured brackets 88 each provided with a recess 89 to receive the forward cross bar 6. Within the end of each recess adjacent the plate 84 is secured a retaining plate 99, bent in the shape shown clearly in Figure 9 to overhang said cross bar. Each of the brackets is provided with a thumb screw 52 threaded into the lower portion of the bracket and arranged to engage the cross bar 6 to hold the clamping plate in position on the cross bar. The brackets are each formed with a recess 94 as shown in Figure 10, to receive the margins of the work sheets and carbons, the surfaces 95 forming guides for the edges of these parts.

In setting up the machine for the typing of forms with the present construction, the looking levers 3! are moved to unlocking position vare moved into unlocking positions.

to unlock the carbon rolls, the stop fingers T8 are swung upwardly substantially into the positions shown in Figures 1 and 8 and the carbon carriage is moved forwardly to its limiting position. The forms 9'! are drawn from the supply at the rear of the machine over the cross bar 38. The carbon sheets are drawn from the supply rolls about the diagonal guides 34 and are interleaved with the sheets of the forms and the combined forms and carbon sheets 98 are drawn forwardly over the platen and inserted beneath the clamping plate 84, the platen 12 then being held in lowered position by the depression of the usual pedal. The forms and carbon sheets are drawn forward together until the forward edge of the uppermost form is at a position opposite the forward edge of the clamping plate 84 and the pedal is then released, allowing the platen to move upwardly and clamp the forms and carbon sheets between the same and said plate. The forms and carbon sheets are then torn off across the forward or knife edge of the clamping plate. The carbon roll locking levers are then adjusted to lock the carbon rolls, the platen is lowered by the depression of the pedal, thereby unclamping the carbons and forms, and the carbon roll carriage is moved back'to its rearward position, therebydrawing back the carbon sheets away from the forward margins of the forms which are about to be typed. The stop fingers 18 are then swung down into lowered position to hold the carbon roll carriage in its rearward position and the pedal is released, al lowing the platen to move upwardly and again clamp the forms between the same and the clamping plate.

The parts are now ready for the typing of the first set of forms. The drawing back of the carbon sheets away from the forward margins of the forms enables these margins to be grasped by the operator after the set of forms is typed and the forms drawn forward under the clamping plate 8d without drawing the carbon sheets therewith; After each set of forms is typed, the

' platen is depressed to unclamp the same, the

forms are drawn forward by grasping the forward margins of the forms and pulling the same forward beneath the clamping plate until the forward edge of the upper form is even with the forward edge of the plate. The platen is then released to clamp the forms and the typed forms are torn off along the forward edge of the clampingplate.

When the portions of the carbon sheets which are being employed for typing are worn so that it is desired to change the writing surface, this may be readily done. In this operation, the stop fingers 18 are swung upwardly into substantially the positions shown in Figure 8, the carbon roll carriage is moved forward into its limiting position and the locking levers 37 for the carbon rolls With the platen in depressed'position, the forms and carbon sheets are then drawn forward over the platen until the desired amounts of the carbon sheets are drawn off the carbon rolls. The said locking levers are then moved into locking positions and the forms are grasped without grasping the carbon sheets and are drawn forward independently of the carbon sheets until the upper form following that which has been typed is even with the forward edge of the clamping plate. The platen is thereupon released to clamp the forms and carbon sheets and the typed forms and portions of the interposed carbon sheets are torn oif along the forward edge of the plate 84. The platen is then depressed to release the forms and carbons, the carbon roll carriage is moved backward to its rearward position thereby drawing back the carbon sheets from between the forward margins of the forms which are in position for typing and the stop fingers 18 are swung downwardly into operating position. The

laten is then released and clamps the forms and carbon sheets. This places the parts in position for continuing the typing with new or unused portions of the carbon sheets in writing position between the forms.

When the use of the continuous carbon sheets is to be discontinued and it is therefore desired to remove the carbon carriage and associated parts from the machine, the carriage is disengaged from the bracket 42 by merely lifting the same from the bracket and the bracket is then disengaged from the platen frame by lifting the rear end thereof to disengage the forward ends of the side plates 44 from between the side bars 4 of the platen frame and the bracket is then moved upwardly and rearwardly to disengage the hooks 68 from the rear cross bar H).

The bracket above-described for the applica tion of the carbon roll carrier to the platen frame is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture. The parts of the bracket constitute a unitary structure and by a simple manipulation thereof, the bracket may be applied to and removed from the platen frame. When the said bracket is in place in the platen frame, the carbon roll carrier may be applied in operating position merely by placing the carrier frame over the bracket with the guides on the bracket in position to engage the contact portions of the carrier frame.

The invention is illustrated in this application as applied to a typcwriting machine of the Elliott- Flsher type and the invention is particularly designed for application to machines of this type. Certain features of the invention, however, are not limited in their application to flat platen machines, but may be applied with advantage to other machines. It is, therefore, to be understood that, except as defined in the claims, the invention is not limited to any particular machine or type of machine. It is also to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction and arrangement of parts of the illustrated embodiment of the invention, but that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the claims.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention and having specifically described a construction embodying the invention in its preferred form, what is claimed is:

1. In a typewriting machine having a platen frame comprising substantially parallel rectiline arly extending spaced side bars and cross bars connecting said side bars of which the rear cross bar is polygonal in cross section; a carbon carrier supporting bracket comprising spaced side plates one of which is provided with an abutment for engaging underneath one of the side bars of the platen frame, one or more hooks formed on said side plates for engaging over the rear cross bar of the platen frame and one or more abutments adjustably mounted on the carrier for engaging the rear cross bar on the side opposite that engaged by the end portions of the hooks.

2. In a typewriting machine having a substantially rectangular platen frame comprising substantially parallel side bars and cross bars connecting said side bars of which the rear cross bar is substantially rectangular in cross section; a carbon carrier supporting bracket comprising spaced side plates one of which has an abutment for engaging underneath one of the side bars of the platen frame and cross members connecting said side plates, one or more hooks formed on said side plates for engaging over the rear cross bar of the platen frame and one or more abutments mounted on the carrier and adjustable longitudinally of the carrier for engaging the rear cross bar on the side opposite that engaged by the end portions of the hooks.

3. In a typewriting machine having a platen frame comprising spaced rectilinearly extending side bars and cross bars connecting said side bars; a unitary supporting framework constructed to be detachably mounted on the platen frame and arranged to be applied to and detached from said frame by manipulation and comprising spaced side plates and cross members connecting said side plates, one or more abutments on said side plates for engaging beneath the side bars of the platen frame, one or more hooks on the side plates for engaging over the rear cross bar on the platen frame and a retaining plate secured to one of said side plates and having a part spaced therefrom for engaging one side of the corresponding side bar of the platen frame to hold the bracket from lateral displacement when applied to a platen frame wider than the bracket, means on said framework for supporting a carbon roll carrier and a carbon roll carrier mounted on said framework.

4. In a typewriting machine having a substantially rectangular platen frame comprising rectilinearly extending spaced side bars and cross bars connecting said side bars; a unitary bracket structure arranged to be attached to the platen frame and comprising spaced side plates and cross members connecting said side plates, at carbon roll carrier mounted on said bracket structure and comprising a transverse base plate, retaining brackets channel-shaped in cross section attached to said base plate and projections on each plate of said first bracket spaced longitudinally of the plate and extending upwardly therefrom upon which said channel-shaped brackets of the carbon roll carrier rest and means on each of said projections arranged to engage an inner flange of one of said latter brackets to guide said carrier.

ELMER L. WISE. 

